Pitt 2011 United Way Campaign Raises $616,751, Surpassing Previous Year’s Total

University of Pittsburgh faculty, staff, and retirees once again demonstrated their dedication to the larger Pittsburgh community with donations totaling $616,751 to the “Live United for a Greater Pittsburgh,” United Way’s 2011 fundraising campaign. The total is up more than $6,000 from the previous year.

Faculty and staff contributed $576,981 to the campaign, retirees gave $26,715—an increase of $7,125 from 2010—and $13,053 was garnered from special events. There also were 719 new donors to the campaign. Of particular note is Pitt’s union participation, which increased from 18 in 2010 to 108 in 2011, more than a 500 percent jump. In addition, a total of $300,503 was directed to the United Way Impact Fund, reflecting a $21,203 increase from Pitt’s 2010 gift.

“The 2011 Pitt United Way Campaign is a clear demonstration of our commitment to the people in our region who need the support of the agencies that receive United Way funds,” said Anne Franks, manager of Pitt’s campaign and executive director of administration in Pitt’s Office of Institutional Advancement (IA). “People from all areas of the University recognize that even with the challenges we face here at Pitt, there are those in our community who are in greater need.”

Pitt’s United Way effort is guided by the campaign’s steering committee. In addition to Franks, who has managed Pitt’s campaign for seven years, Michelle Page, human resources manager for IA, serves as Pitt’s campaign coordinator. Pitt 2011 campaign cochairs were G. Reynolds (Renny) Clark, vice chancellor for community initiatives and chief of staff for Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg, and Margaret C. McDonald, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs for the schools of health sciences.

“This campaign could not be successful without the leadership and hard work of the more than 400 coordinators and representatives across the University who use their creativity, perseverance, and skills to conduct the individual campaigns in their departments,” Franks noted. “They are our heroes; they take on added work; they encourage their colleagues and generate enthusiasm for the campaign.”

United Way of Allegheny County is known as a change agent and efficient community fundraiser whose mission is to improve lives by addressing critical community needs. By convening diverse partners and investing in programs and people to advance solutions, United Way works to create long-lasting change, help children and youth succeed, strengthen and support families by promoting financial stability, ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable seniors, and provide countywide access to information and referral sources meeting basic needs.